Foran Announces Assay Results from Tesla Expansion Drilling and Newly Identified Gold Zone
Highlight intersection 22m at 5.6% CuEq
New Gold and Silver-Rich Zone Identified at Tesla, Potentially Strengthening at Depth
Summer Drill Campaign Ongoing, Testing High Priority Regional Targets and Further Definition at Tesla
Key Highlights:
-
Hole TS-24-24w1, drilled as a
200m step out from previous drilling into the
Tesla Zone , intersected multiple massive to semi-massive lenses, highlighted by:- 11.7m grading 0.30% Cu, 21.97% Zn, 21.1 g/t Ag and 0.09 g/t Au (7.00% CuEq), including 6.4m grading 0.18% Cu, 28.60% Zn, 16.8 g/t Ag and 0.08 g/t Au (8.85% CuEq); and
- 13.8m grading 0.16% Cu, 9.11% Zn, 82.2 g/t Ag and 0.30 g/t Au (3.41% CuEq), including 3.4m grading 0.32% Cu, 14.60% Zn, 47.9 g/t Ag and 0.59 g/t Au (5.17% CuEq).
-
Hole TS-24-24w4, drilled as a wedged hole from TS-24-24w1 that intersected mineralization approximately 100m along strike to the north and a further 100m up dip, also returned multiple massive to semi-massive sulphide zones, highlighted by:
- 29.8m grading 0.67% Cu, 10.53% Zn, 16.4 g/t Ag and 0.22 g/t Au (3.96% CuEq), including 22.4m grading 1.13% Cu, 14.30% Zn, 25.8 g/t Ag and 0.35 g/t Au (5.63% CuEq).
-
A newly identified zone of gold and silver-bearing veining has been identified above the lower Tesla lenses. This zone appears to connect with a gold intersection in previously released hole HG-23-01 and may be strengthening with depth. Recent intersections include:
- 9.4m grading 1.82 g/t Au and 142.0 g/t Ag, including 4.7m grading 2.61 g/t Au and 197.9 g/t Ag in hole TS-24-24w1; and
- 2.0m grading 2.06 g/t Au and 88.9 g/t Ag in hole TS-24-24w4.
-
Hole TS-24-20w1, drilled in the downdip central portion of the
Tesla Zone as a wedged hole from TS-24-20 for metallurgical sampling. The hole intersected multiple massive, semi-massive and stringer sulphide zones of similar high tenor to its parent hole, highlighted by:- 29.0m grading 1.10% Cu, 6.98% Zn, 34.8 g/t Ag and 0.08 g/t Au (3.30% CuEq), including 9.0m grading 1.84% Cu, 8.15% Zn, 53.3 g/t Ag and 0.24 g/t Au (4.50% CuEq); and
- 11.2m grading 0.22% Cu, 11.23% Zn, 29.5 g/t Ag and 0.05 g/t Au (3.72% CuEq), including 5.3m grading 0.25% Cu, 16.99% Zn, 36.6 g/t Ag and 0.06 g/t Au (5.51% CuEq).
- Tesla drilling continues with three land-based rigs now completing navigation drilling infill holes from the Tesla footwall to tighten drill spacings in the central part of the zone.
Since its discovery in 2022, the
The new results presented here continue to demonstrate the continuity of mineralization across the
Table 1 - 2024 Tesla Exploration Target**
**The potential quantity and grade of this Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource in this area and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.
Notes: |
|
1. |
|
2. |
Exploration Target is based on the results from 32 drill holes using a Cu cut-off grade of 0.3% Cu for the copper-dominated lenses and a Zn cut-off grade of 1.0% Zn for the zinc-dominated lenses to define the wire frames for the mineralized zones; Assays within these lenses were composited into 1m composites, with Zn capped at 20% and Cu capped at 7% |
3. |
CuEq grades were derived using provisions for metallurgical recovery based on life of mine (LOM) metallurgical recovery rates derived from test work on blended ores for the McIlvenna Bay Deposit completed as part of the 2022 Feasibility Study: 91.1% Cu, 79.8% Zn, 88.6% Au and 62.3% Ag. Metal prices used are |
4. |
A specific gravity of 3.59 g/cm3 was applied to massive sulphide lenses, and 3.00 g/cm3 was applied to stockwork lenses in the Exploration Target volume based on the results of 85 density measurements of mineralized drill core |
Robust Mineralization Continues Down Plunge
The results of five new drill holes (TS-24-24w1, -24w2, -24w4, -25 and -25w1) confirm that robust mineralization continues to expand the
TS-24-24w1 intersected the prospective stratigraphy approximately 250m down plunge from HG-23-01, with TS-24-24w2 drilled as a proximal wedge to obtain additional material for metallurgical testing. Both holes intersected multiple wide, massive to semi-massive sulphide zones over approximately 160m of core length in each hole. These dominantly consisted of strong red-brown sphalerite mineralization with pyrite and local galena that returned high grade zinc composites, including 11.7m grading 21.97% Zn (7.00% CuEq) and 13.8m grading 9.11% Zn (3.41% CuEq) in TS-24-24w1 and 11.9m grading 21.41% Zn (6.91% CuEq) and 10.2m grading 15.57% Zn (5.34% CuEq) in TS-24-24w2. In the intervening areas between the massive sulphide lenses, these holes also cut several intervals consisting of moderate to strong quartz-carbonate-albite alteration and veining hosted in gabbro and lesser felsic volcanic rocks that returned significant gold and silver assays, including 9.4m grading 1.82 g/t Au and 142.0 g/t Ag in TS-24-24w1 and 12.45m grading 1.14 g/t Au and 101.1 g/t Ag in TS-24-24w2.
TS-24-24w4 was drilled as a second wedge hole from the TS-24-24w1 pilot hole, designed as a step out to test the large area between TS-24-24w1, HG-23-01 and TS-24-25 (described below). TS-24-24w4 successfully intersected the
Drill hole TS-24-25 was drilled as a further 250m step-out hole along strike from TS-24-24w1 where it appears to have clipped the lower edge of the plunge of the Tesla zone. The hole intersected an upper zone of strong quartz-carbonate-albite alteration and veining, returning a 4.46m interval grading 1.35 g/t Au and 145.5 g/t Ag (1.67% CuEq), followed by a lower massive sulphide zone consisting of strong sphalerite mineralization which returned 8.22% Zn, 103.2 g/t Ag and 0.48 g/t Au over 2.33m. Subsequently, TS-24-25w1 was drilled as a wedge from TS-24-25 which intersected the
Significance of Newly Identified Gold &
The recognition that the quartz-carbonate-albite vein zones described above seem to be consistently present in the northernmost drillholes has raised questions about where else they may occur at Tesla and
Table 2 – 2024 Assay Results (this release only)
*Denotes intersection from previously released drillhole
Hole |
Zone |
From_m |
To_m |
Interval_m |
Cu % |
Zn % |
Ag g/t |
Au g/t |
CuEq % |
HG-23-01* |
QV |
1583.0 |
1588.6 |
5.6 |
0.03 |
0.15 |
33.0 |
0.61 |
0.58 |
MB-24-293 |
CS |
846.4 |
849.5 |
3.2 |
0.64 |
0.70 |
10.5 |
0.11 |
0.91 |
MB-24-293 |
CS |
897.0 |
900.4 |
3.4 |
1.07 |
0.04 |
6.3 |
0.01 |
1.02 |
MS-24-293 |
MS |
985.0 |
985.9 |
0.9 |
4.46 |
0.19 |
24.2 |
0.18 |
4.34 |
MS-24-293 |
MS |
1040.9 |
1041.5 |
0.6 |
1.25 |
4.45 |
3.4 |
0.01 |
2.49 |
TS-24-16w1* |
QV |
1508.9 |
1511.7 |
2.8 |
0.01 |
0.02 |
49.7 |
0.97 |
0.87 |
TS-24-16w2 |
MS |
1476.9 |
1481.2 |
4.3 |
0.13 |
3.05 |
8.5 |
0.02 |
1.08 |
TS-24-16w2 |
MS |
1606.9 |
1611.5 |
4.6 |
0.22 |
4.13 |
26.3 |
0.08 |
1.60 |
Including |
MS |
1609.4 |
1611.5 |
2.1 |
0.32 |
6.59 |
27.0 |
0.08 |
2.44 |
TS-24-16w2 |
MS |
1659.6 |
1668.9 |
9.3 |
0.42 |
2.39 |
37.2 |
0.60 |
2.39 |
Including |
MS |
1666.4 |
1668.9 |
2.5 |
0.50 |
8.45 |
31.1 |
1.08 |
3.75 |
TS-24-19 |
MS |
1261.3 |
1263.7 |
2.4 |
0.03 |
5.68 |
76.1 |
0.46 |
2.35 |
TS-24-19 |
MS |
1501.3 |
1501.7 |
0.4 |
0.15 |
10.90 |
18.3 |
0.09 |
3.53 |
TS-24-20w1 |
MS |
1326.5 |
1329.1 |
2.6 |
0.71 |
5.40 |
27.9 |
0.04 |
2.41 |
TS-24-20w1 |
MS |
1347.8 |
1356.5 |
8.7 |
0.69 |
5.50 |
28.1 |
0.36 |
2.61 |
Including |
MS |
1347.8 |
1350.9 |
3.1 |
0.23 |
13.12 |
40.3 |
0.23 |
4.46 |
TS-24-20w1 |
MS/CS |
1398.5 |
1427.5 |
29.0 |
1.10 |
6.98 |
34.8 |
0.08 |
3.30 |
Including |
MS |
1399.5 |
1408.5 |
9.0 |
1.84 |
8.15 |
53.3 |
0.24 |
4.50 |
And |
MS |
1413.6 |
1418.5 |
4.9 |
0.73 |
13.87 |
32.5 |
0.02 |
4.98 |
TS-24-20w1 |
MS |
1459.2 |
1470.4 |
11.2 |
0.22 |
11.23 |
29.5 |
0.05 |
3.72 |
Including |
MS |
1459.2 |
1464.5 |
5.3 |
0.25 |
16.99 |
36.6 |
0.06 |
5.51 |
TS-24-22 |
MS |
1442.8 |
1443.5 |
0.7 |
0.16 |
12.20 |
125.0 |
0.15 |
4.46 |
TS-24-22 |
QV |
1474.9 |
1476.0 |
1.1 |
0.10 |
0.02 |
237.5 |
2.21 |
2.48 |
TS-24-23 |
CS |
790.6 |
793.5 |
2.9 |
0.96 |
0.23 |
7.8 |
0.10 |
1.04 |
TS-24-23 |
CS |
798.3 |
799.3 |
1.0 |
0.56 |
0.30 |
5.9 |
0.02 |
0.63 |
TS-24-24w1 |
MS |
1611.5 |
1623.2 |
11.7 |
0.30 |
21.97 |
21.1 |
0.09 |
7.00 |
Including |
MS |
1612.5 |
1618.9 |
6.4 |
0.18 |
28.60 |
16.8 |
0.08 |
8.85 |
TS-24-24w1 |
QV |
1739.3 |
1748.7 |
9.4 |
0.13 |
0.03 |
142.0 |
1.82 |
1.84 |
Including |
QV |
1740.3 |
1745.0 |
4.7 |
0.14 |
0.04 |
197.9 |
2.61 |
2.57 |
TS-24-24w1 |
MS |
1759.2 |
1773.1 |
13.8 |
0.16 |
9.11 |
82.2 |
0.30 |
3.41 |
Including |
MS |
1759.2 |
1762.6 |
3.4 |
0.32 |
14.60 |
47.9 |
0.59 |
5.17 |
TS-24-24w2 |
MS |
1608.6 |
1620.5 |
11.9 |
0.27 |
21.41 |
43.0 |
0.11 |
6.91 |
Including |
MS |
1610.7 |
1617.9 |
7.2 |
0.19 |
25.77 |
57.1 |
0.11 |
8.22 |
TS-24-24w2 |
QV |
1732.3 |
1744.7 |
12.5 |
0.08 |
0.03 |
101.1 |
1.14 |
1.21 |
Including |
QV |
1734.8 |
1737.6 |
2.8 |
0.14 |
0.02 |
185.7 |
2.24 |
2.30 |
TS-24-24w2 |
MS |
1751.7 |
1761.8 |
10.2 |
0.20 |
15.57 |
72.1 |
0.30 |
5.34 |
Including |
MS |
1758.2 |
1760.9 |
2.7 |
0.15 |
21.91 |
139.2 |
0.38 |
7.56 |
TS-24-24w2 |
MS |
1772.9 |
1775.5 |
2.6 |
0.44 |
8.38 |
86.1 |
0.45 |
3.56 |
Table 2 – Continued
Hole |
Zone |
From_m |
To_m |
Interval_m |
Cu % |
Zn % |
Ag g/t |
Au g/t |
CuEq % |
TS-24-24w4 |
MS |
1477.4 |
1480.9 |
3.4 |
0.59 |
4.59 |
10.7 |
0.27 |
2.12 |
TS-24-24w4 |
MS/CS |
1513.2 |
1543.0 |
29.8 |
0.67 |
10.53 |
16.4 |
0.22 |
3.96 |
Including |
CS |
1513.2 |
1520.6 |
7.4 |
1.09 |
1.18 |
18.7 |
0.28 |
1.60 |
And |
MS |
1520.6 |
1543.0 |
22.4 |
1.13 |
14.30 |
25.8 |
0.35 |
5.63 |
TS-24-24w4 |
QV |
1661.2 |
1663.2 |
2.0 |
0.11 |
0.03 |
88.9 |
2.06 |
1.72 |
TS-24-24w4 |
MS |
1663.2 |
1665.4 |
2.3 |
0.37 |
6.54 |
82.2 |
1.22 |
3.38 |
TS-24-24w4 |
QV |
1668.4 |
1671.0 |
2.6 |
0.47 |
0.82 |
46.2 |
0.80 |
1.35 |
TS-24-24w4 |
MS |
1707.7 |
1708.5 |
0.8 |
0.56 |
11.00 |
66.9 |
0.30 |
4.28 |
TS-24-25 |
QV |
1674.0 |
1678.4 |
4.5 |
0.07 |
0.50 |
145.2 |
1.35 |
1.67 |
TS-24-25 |
MS |
1709.5 |
1711.8 |
2.3 |
0.05 |
8.22 |
103.2 |
0.48 |
3.26 |
TS-24-25w1 |
MS |
1512.8 |
1516.4 |
3.7 |
0.35 |
4.65 |
13.6 |
0.05 |
1.80 |
TS-24-25w1 |
MS |
1520.1 |
1522.4 |
2.3 |
0.31 |
13.11 |
17.4 |
0.12 |
4.36 |
TS-24-25w1 |
MS |
1631.8 |
1637.1 |
5.3 |
0.06 |
3.52 |
40.3 |
0.52 |
1.60 |
TS-24-25w1 |
MS |
1639.8 |
1645.6 |
5.8 |
0.24 |
5.24 |
38.0 |
0.29 |
2.13 |
TS-24-25w1 |
MS |
1670.0 |
1677.1 |
7.1 |
0.10 |
9.49 |
172.7 |
0.43 |
3.98 |
Including |
MS |
1671.6 |
1675.0 |
3.4 |
0.09 |
14.78 |
171.9 |
0.35 |
5.50 |
Note 1: Composite widths are presented as core lengths. Additional drilling will be required to confirm the geometry of the mineralized zones, but generally true widths are thought to be 80-85% of core length. Intervals generally composited using a 0.5% Cu cut-off grade in stringer zones, except MB-24-290 from 1050.8-1098.3m that used a 0.3% Cu cut-off grade. Copper Equivalent values calculated using metal prices of
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2024 Summer Drill Program
A large summer exploration program is underway at site with four drill rigs scheduled to continue drilling at Tesla and other regional targets through to
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Drilling was completed using NQ size diamond drill core and core was logged by employees of the Company. During the logging process, mineralized intersections were marked for sampling and given unique sample numbers. Sampled intervals were sawn in half using a diamond blade saw. One half of the sawn core was placed in a plastic bag with the sample tag and sealed, while the second half was returned to the core box for storage on site. Sample assays are performed by the
Qualified Person
Mr.
The Company's head office is located at
About
The McIlvenna Bay Deposit is a copper-zinc-gold-silver rich VHMS deposit intended to be the centre of a new mining camp in a prolific district that has already been producing for 100 years. The McIlvenna Bay Property sits just 65km West of
The McIlvenna Bay Deposit is the largest undeveloped VHMS deposit in the region. The Company announced the results from its NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report on the Feasibility Study for the McIlvenna Bay Deposit (the "McIlvenna Feasibility Study") on
The Company's head office is located at
Forward Looking Statements
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, as defined under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or to the future performance of
Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, estimates, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors include, but are not limited to, management's belief or expectations relating to the following and, in certain cases, management's response with regard to the following: the Company's reliance on the McIlvenna Bay Property the Company is exposed to risks related to mineral resources exploration and development; the Company has no history of mineral production; the Company's operations are subject to extensive environmental, health and safety regulations; mining operations involve hazards and risks; mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates are based on interpretations and assumptions that may not be accurate; uncertainties and risks relating to the 2022 Feasibility Study; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and should note that the assumptions and risk factors discussed in this press release are not exhaustive. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Additional information about these assumptions, risks and uncertainties is contained in our filings with securities regulators.
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